Boot and shoe cleaner.



J. B. CLAYTON.

BOOT AND SHOHCLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED APR,30,1912.

1,033,673, Patented July 23,1912.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.,wAs1-uNG'roN. n. c.

JOSEPH B. CLAYTON, OF SOLITUDE, KENTUCKY.

BOOT AND SHOE CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1912.

Application filed April 30, 1912. Serial No. 694,269.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH B. CLAYTON, citizen of the United States, resident of Solitude, in the county of Bullitt and State of Kentucky, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Boot and Shoe Cleaners; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of the same.

The invention has relation to boot and shoe cleaners, and it consists in the novel construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, the numeral 1, designates a fiat vertical frame, designed to be secured at its lower end to a suitable support, said frame having an upper horizontal scraper 2, and laterally and oppositely eX- tending vertical scrapers 3, 3.

At the ends of the horizontal scraper are located upwardly extending posts 4, 4, with the rounded portions 5, 5, of which are hingedly engaged at 6, horizontal cleaner brushes 7 7, the hinged connection being at one end portion of said brushes, which are oppositely located face to face and eX- tend laterally outward from said frame in converging relation, the outer converging ends of the brushes being in contact with each other.

In order to press the outer converging ends of the brushes together in a yielding manner, and at the same time to provide a support for these outer free ends which lie some distance away from the carrier frame, a spring 8 is secured at one end to each of the posts 4, below the brushes and extends laterally outward and upward in an oblique manner having at its outer free end contact with the outer end of the back of the brush at each side. An obliquely arranged staple 9 is secured to the outer end of the back of each brush and receives the outer end of said spring in such manner that any downward movement of the outer free end of the brush is resisted by pressure of the upper arm 10 of the staple against the spring.

A removable key or pin 11 has engagement with a perforation of the rounded termination of each post and prevents upward movement of the brushes, which rest at their lower sides upon the shoulders 12 at the lower ends of said posts. When this key is removed, each brush may be moved upward from engagement with its post, the oblique staple of the brush moving upward at the same time from engagement with the spring, without disturbance of the position of the spring, which has sufficient lateral play to allow its free end to escape from the lower arm 13 of the staple. The brushes may in this way be conveniently removed, cleaned and replaced in position.

In the use of the invention, the boot or shoe upon the foot of the user is first scraped in a horizontal manner against one of the vertical scrapers and then scraped in a similar manner against the other vertical scraper to clean both sides of the shoe. The foot is then passed through the horizontal brushes in a horizontal manner to clean the shoe sides of any remaining dirt or soil, entrance being made between the brushes at their diverging ends, and eXit at the converging ends, which separate under the tension of the springs to allow the foot to pass out, said springs in connection with the staples bracing the outer free ends of the brushes against any downward movement under the strain. At the same time that the foot is passed between the brushes, the bottom or sole of the shoe is engaged with the horizontal scraper and cleaned of any dirt or soil adhering thereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A boot and shoe cleaner having a horizontal scraper, upright posts at the ends of said scraper, opposite laterally and outwardly extending horizontal converging brushes having at their diverging ends hinged connection with said posts, staples at the outer converging ends of said brushes, In testimony whereof I affix my signature, and oblique laterally and upwardly extendin presence of two witnesses. ing springs having at their lower inner ends T connection with said posts below said- JOSEPH CLAYTO1\' brushes and at their upper free ends sliding WVitnesses:

engagement with the backs of said brushes I. B. CRENsHAw,

between the arms of said staples. H. W. J ONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents,

1 Washington, D. G. 

